Fixture pile-up is the latest problem for Poppies boss Cox to solve

Kettering Town were on the training pitch instead of Latimer Park on Tuesday after their clash with Brackley Town was called off. Picture by Brooklyn Freeman

The wet and stormy weather has prevented the Poppies from playing a Vanarama National League North match for nearly three weeks with their last action being a 1-1 draw at Altrincham on February 8.

Since then, home matches with Guiseley, Hereford and Brackley Town have all been postponed while a trip to Bradford Park Avenue last weekend was also wiped out due to a waterlogged pitch.

The Poppies are hoping to be back out on the pitch in a big game at Blyth Spartans on Saturday.

But Cox knows a backlog of fixtures over the final two months of the season will bring its own challenges.

“It’s really frustrating and that was definitely the case on Tuesday (for the Brackley game) because there was a point where we really hoped the game would be on,” the Poppies boss said.

“But it’s an uncontrollable. We can’t control the weather and we aren’t the only ones being affected by it. All we can do is keep coming in for training and work hard for whenever we play.

“It’s not ideal but you just have to prepare and be as professional as possible.

“Since I have been here there have been a lot of different tests. But I am enjoying the problem solving.

“I know it’s going to be intense and we have to look beyond where we are now and be aware that we will be getting injuries and tiredness and fatigue will come into play.

“We will have to cope with all that while still trying to keep the team in this division.

“There are going to be a lot of hurdles in front of us and we are still trying to get over one of them in terms of getting back playing and getting the match sharpness.

“It’s going to be tough but we just have to approach it with the right frame of mind and accept each challenge as it comes.

“I never expected it to be easy. This was always going to be a tough challenge but I expect the players to be focused and show the same mindset they have shown for the last 14 or 15 games and approach the end of the season with the aim of achieving our goals.”

The Poppies are without a midweek game next Tuesday but will now play their home games with Hereford, Guiseley and Brackley on March 10, 17 and April 7 respectively while the clash at Bradford has been re-arranged for Tuesday, March 24.

Kettering, meanwhile, have confirmed their first pre-season friendly for the summer as they will make the trip to play Jersey Bulls on Saturday, July 18.